A narrow, austere hallway in City View Lofts leads to a corner unit and a breathtaking surprise.  When you enter the home of Stephen Pararo and Jim Moss, you are embraced by two expansive walls of arched windows.  “When we walked up here and saw this view, we knew this was it,” said Pararo, owner and principle designer of Pineapple House Interior Design in Atlanta.  The vista sweeps from Midtown south to downtown and east past the canopy of The Carter Center. 

            When they saw the space in the Poncey-Highland neighborhood five years ago, it still was under construction. Pararo, equipped with an interior design degree from Florida State University, architecture degree from Georgia Tech and 25 years of experience, immediately went to work.  His boldest move was to add a mezzanine that seems to float in the majestic loft space.  This addition became a library and sitting room, inspired by the two-tiered walnut-paneled library at the Biltmore House near Asheville, N.C.

            Floor-to-ceiling shelves of books (including many medical textbooks that belonged to Pararo’s father) form visual pillars on each end of the mezzanine.  A simple, spiral staircase, tucked into one corner, provides access to the upper level.  The space offers another vantage point to enjoy the panorama.  Two over stuffed chairs and a table rest in the center of the mezzanine, in a bow that echoes the arch of the windows. 

            Unlike the Biltmore library, this mezzanine does not wrap around the room, “I didn’t want it to be overwhelming,” Pararo, said.  “I wanted to give the loft more drama and personality, and what could be more dramatic that to be able to go up there?”

            The view provides an ever-changing backdrop to the living space, from the morning mist to spectacular sunsets to luminous moonlight. 

            “Even though we’re living right in the city, you can connect with nature here. You don’t feel shut up,” Pararo said.  When on the Freedom Parkway trail is just a block away, enjoyable on it’s own and spiced with the occasional encounter with neighbors Jane Fonda, and Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter.

            To conserve energy in the 2,000-square-foot loft, the windows are double paned and insulated.  A triple layer of 19-foot long curtains adds more control over the elements.  Operated by a remote control, the layers included a thick, thermal panel to block out the sun, a gauzy grid-patterned sheer to soften the light, and a lustrous silk to add elegance and old-world charm.

            With all the color outdoors, little is needed inside.  The oak floors are polished deep brown.  The furnishings and rugs tend to be colors of light straw, golden wheat and pewter.  The kitchen countertops are deep slate-hued quartz. 

            Everywhere, there’s a juxtaposition of design: nature taking center stage in an industrial setting; inviting, creature comforts in a warehouse; modern furnishings mixed with antiques and 19^th century art.

            In addition to the mezzanine, Pararo changed the layout of the master bath, moving the tub to the downstairs bathroom and adding a steam room/shower that overlooks Poncey-Highland through one-half of the arched window (yes, there’s a curtain).

            He added staggered wall units in the entry hall and closets in the master bedroom.  But the masterpiece is the mezzanine, for it adds another dimension to the loft without compromising the light and airy qualities that make it so inviting.